New English Translation
Exodus 34:29
29Now when Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand – when he came down from the mountain, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him.
Exodus 34:29 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses’ hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him.
- New International Version (NIV)When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord.
- English Standard Version (ESV)When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand as he came down from the mountain, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Now it was so, when Moses came down from Mount Sinai (and the two tablets of the Testimony were in Moses’ hand when he came down from the mountain), that Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone while he talked with Him.
Context of Exodus 34:29
27The Lord said to Moses, “Write down these words, for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel.” 28So he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he did not eat bread, and he did not drink water. He wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the ten commandments. Now when Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand – when he came down from the mountain, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him. 30When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to approach him. 31But Moses called to them, so Aaron and all the leaders of the community came back to him, and Moses spoke to them.
Read all of Exodus 34Exodus 34:29 word by word
וַיְהִ֗י בְּרֶ֤דֶת מֹשֶׁה֙ מֵהַ֣ר סִינַ֔י וּשְׁנֵ֨י לֻחֹ֤ת הָֽעֵדֻת֙ בְּיַד־מֹשֶׁ֔ה בְּרִדְתּ֖וֹ מִן־הָהָ֑ר וּמֹשֶׁ֣ה לֹֽא־יָדַ֗ע כִּ֥י קָרַ֛ן ע֥וֹר פָּנָ֖יו בְּדַבְּר֥וֹ אִתּֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And it came to pass, when Mosesמֹשֶׁהmôsheh · MosesH4872
- came downיָרַדyârad · to go downH3381
- from mountהַרhar · mountain: mountH2022
- Sinaiסִינַיsîynay · SinaiH5514
- with the twoשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
- tablesלוּחַlûach lûach · tabletH3871
- of testimonyעֵדוּת‛êdûth · testimonyH5715
- handיָדyâd · handH3027
- wistיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
- not that the skinעוֹר‛ôr · skinH5785
- of his faceפָּנֶהpânîym · faceH6440
- shoneקָרַןqâran · to shineH7160
- while he talkedדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
Cross-references for Exodus 34:29
- Exodus 32:15Moses turned and went down from the mountain with the two tablets of the testimony in his hands. The tablets were written on both sides – they were written on the front and on the back.
- Exodus 16:15When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” because they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you for food.
- Joshua 2:4But the woman hid the two men and replied, “Yes, these men were clients of mine, but I didn’t know where they came from.
- Joshua 8:14When the king of Ai saw Israel, he and his whole army quickly got up the next day and went out to fight Israel at the meeting place near the Arabah. But he did not realize men were hiding behind the city.
- Judges 16:20She said, “The Philistines are here, Samson!” He woke up and thought, “I will do as I did before and shake myself free.” But he did not realize that the Lord had left him.
- Mark 9:6(For they were afraid, and he did not know what to say.)
- Mark 14:40When he came again he found them sleeping; they could not keep their eyes open. And they did not know what to tell him.
- Luke 2:49But he replied, “Why were you looking for me? Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?”
- John 5:13But the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had slipped out, since there was a crowd in that place.
- Acts 6:15All who were sitting in the council looked intently at Stephen and saw his face was like the face of an angel.
- 2 Corinthians 3:7But if the ministry that produced death – carved in letters on stone tablets – came with glory, so that the Israelites could not keep their eyes fixed on the face of Moses because of the glory of his face (a glory which was made ineffective),
- Revelation 1:16He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp double-edged sword extended out of his mouth. His face shone like the sun shining at full strength.
- Revelation 10:1Then I saw another powerful angel descending from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head; his face was like the sun and his legs were like pillars of fire.
Commentaries on Exodus 34:29
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 29The skin of his face shone - קרן karan, was horned: having been long in familiar intercourse with his Maker, his flesh, as well as his soul, was penetrated with the effulgence of the Divine glory, and his looks expressed the light and life which dwelt within. Probably Moses appeared now as he did when, in our Lord's transfiguration, he was seen with Elijah on the mount, Matthew 17. As the original word קרן karan signifies to shine out, to dart forth, as…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 29The two tables of testimony - Compare Exodus 31:18. The skin of his face shone - Compare Matthew 17:2. The brightness of the Eternal Glory, though Moses had witnessed it only in a modified manner Exodus 33:22-23, was so reflected in his face, that Aaron and the people were stricken with awe, and feared to approach him until he gave them words of encouragement. The word translated “shine” is closely connected with a word translated “horn”; and hence, the…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 28-35Verses 28-35 Near and spiritual communion with God improves the graces of a renewed and holy character. Serious godliness puts a lustre upon a man's countenance, such as commands esteem and affection. The vail which Moses put on, marked the obscurity of that dispensation, compared with the gospel dispensation of the New Testament. It was also an emblem of the natural vail on the hearts of men respecting spiritual things. Also the vail that was and is upon…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 29-35Moses, who had asked to see the glory of God, was not aware that his own face reflected that glory.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2929. Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him--It was an intimation of the exalted presence into which he had been admitted and of the glory he had witnessed (2Co 3:18); and in that view, it was a badge of his high office as the ambassador of God. No testimonial needed to be produced. He bore his credentials on his very face; and whether this extraordinary effulgence was a permanent or merely temporary distinction, it cannot…Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 34:29
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Exodus 34
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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